You may have heard of the term 'weekend warrior'. It describes someone who does most of their physical activity on Saturdays or Sundays, highlighting how difficult it can be to fit regular exercise around work and family commitments during the week. There's no doubt that exercise contributes significantly to a healthier lifestyle, but researchers were unsure how beneficial exercising was when condensed into just one or two days. The NHS recommends getting 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise each week, but are these weekend warriors reaping the same health benefits as those exercising three or more times each week? Research suggests they are. According to a study reported in Medical News Today, researchers in China found that those getting more than 50% of their weekly exercise quota over just one or two days 'seem to benefit just as much as those who distribute their activity across the week'. The study used data from 75,629 participants in the UK. Researchers then split them into three groups: those who did lessthan 150 minutes per week, those who did 150 minutes spread across the week and those who got at least 50% of their moderate to vigorous activity on one or two days. Researchers tracked participants for 8.4 years by accessing medical records and adjusting for any lifestyle and health factors that could influence the results. Many participants also wore fitness trackers, making the data more reliable than when self-reported. The study paid close attention to the effect of the weekend warrior exercise style on the brain. Previous studies focused on cardiovascular health. Researchers found that those who were regularly active, including weekend warriors, reduced their risk of brain-related health issues. Exercise appears (at least in this study) to be beneficial for brain health regardless of the pattern. Shaan Khurshid, MD, MPH, was reported in Healthline as saying, 'It's really about the volume, not the pattern.' Khurshid wasn't affiliated with the study but is active in this field of research. What's great about this study is that it shows how accessible exercise is. You don't have to be a gym rat or hit the treadmill seven days a week to reap the brain-related benefits. One of the biggest reasons people quit the gym is a lack of time. Opting for a weekend warrior exercise style could help make exercise more palatable and achievable. At Energym, we're big fans of indoor cycling classes, so it's great to read that even just one class a week can support brain health. And it's not just brain health. In an earlier study using data from Mexico City, other researchers found that the risk of death for weekend warriors and regular exercisers dropped by 15%.UK customers can now pre-order the electricity-generating RE:GEN with a £100 deposit. Click here to find out more.